Modern computing and display technologies have facilitated the development of systems for so called “virtual reality” or “augmented reality” experiences, wherein digitally reproduced images or portions thereof are presented to a user in a manner wherein they seem to be, or may be perceived as, real. A virtual reality, or “VR”, scenario typically involves presentation of digital or virtual image information without transparency to other actual real-world visual input. An augmented reality, or “AR”, scenario typically involves presentation of digital or virtual image information as an augmentation to visualization of the actual world around the user.
For example, referring to FIG. 1, an augmented reality scene is depicted wherein a user of an AR technology sees a real-world park-like setting featuring people, trees, buildings in the background, and a concrete platform 1120. In addition to these items, the user of the AR technology also perceives a robot statue 1110 standing upon the real-world platform 1120, and a cartoon-like avatar character 2 flying by, even though these elements (2, 1110) do not exist in the real world. The human visual perception system is very complex, and producing such an augmented reality scene that facilitates a comfortable, natural-feeling, rich presentation of virtual image elements amongst other virtual or real-world imagery elements is challenging.
A scene similar to that shown in FIG. 1, requires the augmented reality (“AR”) system to display virtual content in relation to one or more real objects of the physical world. As an example, if a user wearing a head-worn display views a virtual representation of a three-dimensional (3D) object on the display and walks around the area where the 3D object appears, that 3D object can be re-rendered for each viewpoint, giving the user the perception that he or she is walking around an object that occupies real space. In other words, the AR system must know the coordinates of the real world and display the virtual content in relation to the real world to provide a satisfying augmented reality or virtual reality experience.
To this end, a head worn AR display system (or helmet-mounted displays, or smart glasses, etc.) is configured to capture a set of data regarding the user's surroundings. For example, the AR system may capture a set of images that capture a user's field of view. The AR system may also comprise one or more sensors that capture pose (e.g., user's position and orientation in space), eye tracking cameras to track a vergence of the user's eyes, inertial measurement units IMUs and other such data capturing devices. Together, these cameras and sensors provide various forms of input to the AR display system, which in turn allows the AR system to accurately and timely present virtual content to the user relative to one or more objects of the real world.
Although these cameras and sensors (and other devices that provide input to the AR display system) are crucial in providing users with a realistic augmented reality experience, various concerns related to privacy and security may be raised as a result of collecting these types of data. Users of the AR display system may be wary of the type of images (e.g., pictures of private moments, pictures of children, nude pictures, confidential matters, secret pictures, etc.) being captured by the AR device without the user's consent. For example, a user of the AR display system may be present with young kids, but may have privacy concerns over images of the young kids being unknowingly captured and being transmitted to other users and/or a provider of AR technology. These privacy challengers are real and sensitive issues for most people, and may have the effect of deterring users from safely using the AR display device if not properly resolved.
There, thus, is a need for a better solution to ensure an AR user's privacy while using AR or VR devices.